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Thread: The COVID-19 coping thread

  1. #1
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    The COVID-19 coping thread

    (I want something other than a news thread to discuss how life is changing for our nInternnet community)

    Hi, how are you doing?

    Personally, my disabled lifestyle hasn't been modified all that much (already practiced good hygiene and tended to go to places during less busy times [too much stimuli during peak times... don't like that]) but the local hoarding of supplies I tend to use is a concern (I already usually went through one box of tissues daily... told ya, disabled... many issues). My partner (and also primary care giver) has been working from home off and on for the past two years, so that isn't a big adjustment either.

    I can still get my medicine the same way as before (same day delivery) and lot of places I like to eat are still doing limited in-store service, which I really appreciate. That's been pretty much my only daily exercise and way to get food independently of my partner (for me, I can either make food or eat food... doing both is rarely a good idea), so that part of life can continue. I suspect we'll be switching to delivery more soon, but we live in an urban area with lots of options.

    My usual monthly socializing with friends is, understandably, put on hold indefinitely... but then this is over, it'll be nice to see them in person again.

    I am a bit more anxious over all, but that mainly has to do with the other people than with probability of catching it.

    I'm definitely going to say that my disabled geek life has helped train me to adapt to the social distancing life.

    I also don't trust the numbers coming out of certain countries known for influencing media... I kind of expect that the Italy numbers are closer to the truth than others (with relative demographics).

    I'm thinking of joining that "feel good" initiative of putting up colourful lights in the some windows at night.

    Anyways, stay safe, stay clean... hope nothing tragic happens.

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    I haven't heard of the colourful lights in windows thing, but I love the idea!

    I was told yesterday by the NHS that I have to quarantine myself for 12 weeks due to some problems I've had with my lungs in the past, so that's going to be a challenge. It hasn't fully set in yet. I just have to stay positive and try and think of lots of things to do to pass the time.

    Anyone know any good RPGs?

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    Quote Originally Posted by GibbonBlack View Post
    Anyone know any good RPGs?
    Yeah, but my experience is also very limited... I really enjoyed the HBS Shadowrun games (Shadowrun Returns, Shadowrun: Dragonfall, Shadowrun: Hong Kong) and their Battletech game has taken many, many hours away from me (but not really an RPG, but there is character levelling and mech modifying).

    Best of luck and hope it goes smoothly for you!

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    my favorite RPG that I'm playing at the moment is Valkyria Chronicles 4. More a tactical RPG but I am hooked!

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    Good thread!

    Well, our daughter just started kindergarten around the first day of February, but they are insistent on keeping schools open down here in Australia (at least in my state, New South Wales), but we’ve decided to keep her home. Besides, we moved recently and her school is literally directly across the road (takes 2 minutes to walk her to school), so I don’t mind so much until all the uncertainty alleviates a little bit.

    Meanwhile, I have a lovely sinus infection and am on antibiotics. Fortunately I’m about 80% better now, but still coughing up a bit of foul tasting phlegm.

    The panic shopping is really pissing me off. Toilet paper and hand towels aren’t an issue as my father has always kept a huge supply and can give my little family all we need. The pissing me off part is trying to locate disinfectant sprays (namely Glen 20) that my germ-o-phobe, OCD fiancé needs, and we simply cannot find anywhere.

    Did anyone see that viral video yesterday of a woman walking up to the bananas in the fruit section of a store and randomly just spitting on them and walking away?

    This is why extraterrestrials don’t visit us. We’re fucking beyond stupid.

  6. #6
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    I'm coping pretty well.

    I'm at home and not working right now. I may have to go in once in a while if anyone needs any urgent supplies from the office (one of my many hats is building security, so if anyone enters I have to let them in). I'm fortunate enough to be part of a strong union and will be paid my full wages during this shutdown.

    I've got my kids with me. They're doing some online learning that definitely won't be as good as going to school but at least keeps their minds sharp while we're off. We've been playing a lot of card games. My ex and I have agreed to take things day-by-day for custody, but I'm pushing to just keep them here while this is happening and then let her have an extended time with them when it's all done. She's got 3 adults, 3 kids (not counting the 2 we have together), 2 cats and 2 dogs all in a 3 bedroom bungalo. She's not really set up for keeping everyone cooped up. My 3 bedroom, 3 floor townhouse has lots of space for 3 people, because it's just me and the kids.

    I've paid for a membership to zoom for a month to have video chats with my friends and extended family. At the moment Ontario hasn't advised against going outside, so I'm going running regularly for exercise. That may not be the case forever though, but it's helping for now.

    I'm doing well all around. I'm using PC Express for groceries, so I don't need to interact with anyone or go into the store. Basically I order online, show up at the set time, open the trunk of my car, and then someone comes out to my car, puts the groceries in my trunk for me, and I leave.

    My toilet paper status is 13 rolls remaining. And they're the costco sized rolls, so I'm probably good for a month or two. I'm sure people will have stopped panic-buying it by that point and the supply chain will have caught up and I'll be able to get some when I'm low.

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    I really don't want to leave the house, but I have to do pre-employment drug screening today if I want to start work remotely hopefully next week.

    I'm kinda still freaking out. I noticed this wonderful thing where if I breathe in deeply, at the end of my breath there's a whistling sound in my lungs. It doesn't happen every time, but it happens way more often than I like. I'm hoping this is anxiety induced or it's the result of getting over a horrible cold I had at the beginning of February. This bug goes for the lungs, and I would rather not have to worry about this.

    I've also cut off all drinking, as alcohol can suppress the immune system. It's a little worrying for me, because I was definitely not a model citizen with my previous alcohol consumption.

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    coping by laughing, right?



    Last edited by allegate; 03-23-2020 at 10:46 PM.

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    This makes me feel happy


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    I'm feeling pretty well. I miss spending time with my gf, we try to limit it. We've been on total lockdown in NJ now for I think 2 weeks? I'm losing count, which is not good. My gf has lost her job in this, so I'm concerned. She still lives at home so bill wise, she can manage. But I'm worried. She's battled depression in the past. She's holding up well, for now, but I see her starting to crack (she's moreso upset that her mother, who's older, is still going to work) . Makes me upset that my future mother in law is putting herself at risk too. She's too hard headed and stubborn to listen to ANYONE.

    But I know we're in the early stages. I don't see things changing anytime soon. I'm kind of expecting things to get really bad over the next week or two.

    I'm a teacher so we're doing the whole online learning thing. But I hate it. I'm putting little effort into it because I'm finding it hard to focus. It's like...I can't operate like things are well and normal, because they're not. A lot of my students are "at risk" students. I know some of their parents are already out of work, and they were just barely scraping by as is. Some deal with abuse issues with the parents, so lockdown is just a hotbed for that. One student has dealt with homelessness and we haven't heard from him the entire time-or been able to get in touch with the parents. By the sound of it, we may very well be doing online stuff the rest of the school year.

    Anyway, I'm just venting. Thanks for the thread.

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    I've gone from working full-time to part-time. At least I'm still working, I guess. I've been listening to a lot of Pink Floyd and watching a shitload of films on my off days. I'm still working on an online health course from a tech institute that I started last month. Thank God I didn't register for an actual in-person class. It's so hard to concentrate on the readings with everything that's going on. My quiz scores keep going down and I don't give a shit. At least I got all the assignments and assessments done on time. What more can they ask of me right now? Who knows what my work situation -- or my health-- will be like next week...
    Last edited by Boots; 03-24-2020 at 09:04 AM.

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    All of this is just life as usual for me, with the added fear of accidentally killing my partner or parents.

    My job is contract based. Sometimes, at the end of one tour, you already know what your next job is. But other times, especially in the winter, you don't. So you spend your days at home, trying to be productive, and wondering when your next paycheck will present itself. So the whole "when will I be employed again" thing is no different than what the last ten years have been. My social circle here is small and growing smaller by the year, so I'm used to being home all day, every day, with nothing to do. Which, unfortunately, is not something I enjoy. And I've been doing it for the last few months already (winter really is slow in this business), so I'm already stir crazy. Only now, I have to worry about accidentally offing my s/o because I picked up a bug at the grocery store and my possibly healthy asymptomatic ass might pass it on, no matter how much we distance ourselves and how well we clean the house.

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    I thought I would get through this by doing lots of reading, but my attention span is so fucked right now. I'll read maybe half a page and then find myself pulling out my phone and spiraling down another Google rabbit hole. Half hour later, I can't even remember what I just read and call it quits. It's too bad cuz this is the perfect opportunity to plough through a bunch of books. But I have a feeling I'm gonna end up trying to occupy my mind with shows and video games, cuz maybe they can hold my attention better in all this. I need SOMETHING to take my mind off things.

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    Thankfully today the wheezing sound is gone. I did a lot of deep breathing and coughing last night, so maybe that helped.

    Today I have a conference call with my new employers. I think they hope to bring me on board remotely, so that's great. I'll likely be doing a lot of mundane database updating, but I'm quite happy to do that. I could start earning a paycheck, which is much welcome after being unemployed for 4.5 months. I realize how fortunate I am right now.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mantra View Post
    I thought I would get through this by doing lots of reading, but my attention span is so fucked right now. I'll read maybe half a page and then find myself pulling out my phone and spiraling down another Google rabbit hole. Half hour later, I can't even remember what I just read and call it quits. It's too bad cuz this is the perfect opportunity to plough through a bunch of books. But I have a feeling I'm gonna end up trying to occupy my mind with shows and video games, cuz maybe they can hold my attention better in all this. I need SOMETHING to take my mind off things.
    In that vein, why not visit the soon-to-be-retitled 2020 Reading Challenge thread? note: I don't know if the link will change or if just the thread title will change so fingers crossed.
    Last edited by allegate; 03-24-2020 at 10:28 AM.

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    Well, some of the places I like to go to have switched to closing indefinitely or just take-out/delivery... it was expected but it also means I limited daily exercise just got more limited (having a destination to stop, refuel and rest a bit is rather useful).

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    Quote Originally Posted by allegate View Post



    In that vein, why not visit the soon-to-be-retitled 2020 Reading Challenge thread? note: I don't know if the link will change or if just the thread title will change so fingers crossed.
    I love reading that thread, but I could never manage that challenge, especially not right now. I read maybe 20 to 30 books a year at best, but this last year has been super slow for me, right now I can't hardly focus at all. I'm actually kind of in awe of the people who pull off that challenge.

  20. #20
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    Life is certainly different now. Grocery store has erected clear plastic shields for the cashiers, like a bank would use. CVS and Home Depot have bright orange tape on the floor marking out how far apart we must stand in line. There was zero rush hour today, no surprise I guess since our State is essentially shut down.

    On the way to Home Depot this afternoon I saw multitudes of people out walking around. This is not normal for our area where nothing is within walking distance! They looked lost and somewhat scared.

    I am trying to stay positive but this new reality is becoming increasingly difficult. My attention span has evaporated. My anxiety is boiling over. I feel panic when my wife leaves in the morning for another shift at the hospital, where they are still struggling to find adequate PPE.

    God forgive me if I cry
    Ticking time is running out

  21. #21
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    My girlfriend sent me this, it's helping:

    https://www.xxnaomi.com/blog/empathy

    EDIT: So is this https://self-reg.ca/

  22. #22
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    i've been listening to a ton of records, which is nice, but i'm pretty sure that sooner rather than later, my wife (who's been working from home since last monday) is going to get sick of me being around all the time. she's an introvert who relishes alone time and i'm sure it'll eventually get to her.

    i've also been playing some video games. haven't been able to read, which is frustrating, since i'd really like to.

    on thursday i'm going to my parents' house (going straight up to my music room so i don't risk passing anything on to them if i have anything) and i'm gonna start work on an EP of covers that i'm going to use to help raise money for a good cause (open to suggestions on places that need funding assistance right now). when i released my new album on friday i managed to raise over $100 and donated it to Brave Space Alliance (a black- and trans-led LGBTQ center) here in chicago, which is running an emergency food bank.

  23. #23
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    I've been working from home for about two weeks now. Last year was a super tough transitional year for the company I've worked at for thirteen years, and this year was looking really promising. We're just about to rise above the turmoil that we went through last year, and not only rise above it but it felt like the afterburners were going to kick on. A couple of big contracts were wrapping up, a few sites that had been in development were getting close to launch, which would boost our income not insignificantly. And then the stay-home lockdown orders and border closings happened.

    Today we had to furlough a bunch of people and I took a pay cut. I'm fortunate to be this far along in the event and still have a job with benefits, but I don't really know if that'll be the case this time next month. I'm simultaneously jealous of the people who are talking about all the free time they have and stressed out by how this crush of work I just did over the last month and a half might end up for naught. I really like the people I work with and I enjoy my job, but right now I can think of a thousand other things I'd rather be doing - but none of those are going to pay the mortgage, and who knows if government assistance is going to materialize in a meaningful fashion any time soon. Although hey, the president's got record approval ratings, some fucking how.

    We rent the second floor of our building out as an Airbnb, and that income completely evaporated for the time being, the entire month cleared out. Melissa's residencies and appearances and concerts for the next three months also evaporated, although she does have some outstanding commissions to keep her busy in the meantime.

    It's fine. In the grand scheme of things, I'll be fine. But I'm feeling from all the uncertainty.

    I've got to print out the last (of the first batch) of shipping labels for the Uncoiled digipak. Taking them out to the blue mailbox a few blocks away to drop them off en masse has me feeling like a post-apocalyptic backpack merchant wandering the streets of a mostly-vacant metropolis. I liked it better when the weather was nice.

    Bill Reiflin just passed away. That's a fuckin' bummer.

    One of my coping mechanisms is super weird and niche. I'm recreating my Philadelphia neighborhood as it was in 1754 using Sketchup and Twinmotion, and the other night I streamed it on Youtube while listening to Coil.



    I'm basing it off this source material. It's kind of a long story.

    Might do it again later but also throw a mic into the mix and narrate what I'm doing a bit more. It might be nice background for people who like to watch things being made. This is just one of several outcomes that result from growing up with Lego, I suppose.

  24. #24
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    Guys, here is some random instrumental music that might help level off the anxiety. Some Eno stuff, some loops/Paulstretch versions of things, assorted instrumentals that I like, etc.








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    Hello All,

    I'd like to share an idea I discovered on Twitter.

    Over in Camden [a borough of London] grown-ups are placing cuddly toys, especially teddy bears in the window, so when parents are takingtheir little kids out for a short walk each day to burn off some energy, stretch legs and get a spot of fresh air, they can go on a bear hunt and spot the animals in the window.

    Part of the fun of this is to keep swapping moving the animals every other day so kids have some fun in spotting them again.

    Anyhow, I thought it was cute thing to do.

    Be well everyone.

  26. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by NIN –Downward Spiral Book View Post
    Hello All,

    I'd like to share an idea I discovered on Twitter.

    Over in Camden [a borough of London] grown-ups are placing cuddly toys, especially teddy bears in the window, so when parents are takingtheir little kids out for a short walk each day to burn off some energy, stretch legs and get a spot of fresh air, they can go on a bear hunt and spot the animals in the window.

    Part of the fun of this is to keep swapping moving the animals every other day so kids have some fun in spotting them again.

    Anyhow, I thought it was cute thing to do.

    Be well everyone.
    I absolutely love that idea! I'm gonna throw some up in my window as well just in case (I'm in Somerset but you never know, some kids might like it)

  27. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by NIN –Downward Spiral Book View Post
    Hello All,

    I'd like to share an idea I discovered on Twitter.

    Over in Camden [a borough of London] grown-ups are placing cuddly toys, especially teddy bears in the window, so when parents are takingtheir little kids out for a short walk each day to burn off some energy, stretch legs and get a spot of fresh air, they can go on a bear hunt and spot the animals in the window.

    Part of the fun of this is to keep swapping moving the animals every other day so kids have some fun in spotting them again.

    Anyhow, I thought it was cute thing to do.

    Be well everyone.
    They're doing that with rainbows in my neighborhood. I go for a daily walk when I'm home regardless, but the other day I went "huh, I don't remember seeing that before - wonder if that's someone's quarantine boredom project". Found out afterwards that it's just like you described; a way to put up colorful things for the quaranteeny people to spot when they're out with their parents.

  28. #28
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    *snort*

    also good on them.

    EDIT:
    dammit, I hate when people delete their tweets. that was funny.
    Last edited by allegate; 03-25-2020 at 05:03 PM.

  29. #29
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    Just waiting for our first delivered groceries (from an import store, nothing fancy just comfort...).

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    The Doctor has spoken. It helps

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