MetaChat - So.... how's the pandemic treating you?

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19 October 2020

So.... how's the pandemic treating you? →[More:]
Have any of you bunnies contracted Covid? If so, how are you doing?

Deep in the heart of Texas I've managed to avoid it so far. In July when the drum beat was about how obesity is one of the strongest risk factors for complications with the disease I decided to do something about my own obesity. As of this morning I'm down 29 pounds (about 2 stone for those across the pond). That takes me from "obese" to "overweight" in the BMI charts (and while I understand many different body types means the BMI numbers aren't accurate, I feel they are for me, a fundamentally skinny guy. When they say I'm fat, I'm fat and there's no way to say "but muscle mass!") I need to lose another 25 pounds to get into the "normal" category. But even if I don't get there, I'm pretty happy with the weight loss so far.

Aside from that, I'm working from home, and likely will continue to do so until the end of the year at least. My wife, a teacher, is back in the classroom, but she only has about a quarter of the kids in with her on any given day.... half are still doing remote schooling and for the in-person kids, half of them come to school every other day. Still, I worry about her since she has several health issues that probably make her high risk.

Financially we haven't taken a hit. I've put off some window replacement in the house for the time being to give us some cash reserves.

I feel like the promise of a vaccine won't be fulfilled anytime soon and we will need to learn to live with Covid in our midst without the benefit of the vaccine or an effective treatment/cure. I like to think that under the assumption that Biden wins the election there will be a more coherent policy nationally and that things will start to improve. I would love to be like New Zealand.

post by: Doohickie at: 09:13 | 11 comments

I've avoided it, so far, but work part time in retail...sooo ... who knows.

A friend's mother and grandfather were diagnosed two weeks ago. He died. They are in South Carolina.

My finances are devastated because I didn't qualify for unemployment from my other jobs and I am close to depleting my savings.

I already voted. My mom has already mailed in her ballot. I am not expecting this to go smoothly because all underhanded measures will be employed to keep him and his family and co-conspirators out of prison.

Hanging on and taking all safety precautions possible.

posted by mightshould 19 October | 10:09

Wow. This place is still here!

posted by tr33hggr 19 October | 10:23

Yeah, kind of a ghost town but still hanging on.

posted by Doohickie 19 October | 15:39

Hang in there, mightshould.

I was just talking to a friend that owns a local craft brewery. He's so very frustrated with how Texas is handling things. They shut down his taproom along with all other bars, even though he was vigorously enforcing social distancing, mask wearing, etc., and the restaurants weren't. He said he paid out $50k to cover his employees while they were shut down, but ended up laying them off at one point. They're back at work now, but he's still very frustrated with the way the government has handled things.

posted by Doohickie 19 October | 15:43

Yes. I'm hanging on. I see so many folks who are at the brink and there's nobody concerned about the repercussions this will cause.

posted by mightshould 20 October | 07:03

I've been lucky so far and avoided the virus, but then I live alone and work from home, and most groceries are being delivered. I still have a weird throat/mouth soreness and some throat/chest congestion which I've had since I got 'flu on 5 January. But most of the time I'm 100%.

I decided to try to get healthier, and started the Couch-2-5K again. I'm about half-way through, but felt a bit 'buggy' last week with a bit of a head cold, so I need to get back to it this week. I'm still at the 'walk 5 minutes, jog 5 minutes' phase. I'm eating much more healthily than at the start of the pandemic (when I had a bit of a snack binge) but haven't lost an ounce.

Financially I have nothing to worry about, and I know I'm much luckier than many.

I watch what's happening across the pond and I worry Trump will try to steal the election. This week's episode of The Circus was chilling in explaining how he'll try to do it. I can see civil war on the horizon, ngl.

posted by Senyar 20 October | 11:23

In my darkest moments I have the same worry, but I think this election is going to be so decisive he won't be able to put up a plausible case for hanging onto office.

posted by Doohickie 20 October | 14:06

The longer the pandemic goes on, the longer I can say that my singlehood is because of the pandemic, and not because I am ugly and boring.

This pandemic has been a G-dsend. For years to come, I will remember the relief and happiness I felt when I learned that Easter was cancelled. I would not have to deal with family, I would not have to deal with the literally abusive people who were at church at the time (they have since left, woo-hoo!), and I would not have to be "on" all the time, dealing with said family and said church, spinning my wheels and constantly trying to pretend that everything is ok.

I have fewer social obligations, I don't need to be "on" all the time, I can catch up on my hobbies and reading. I feel guilty about this when others are suffering, especially since I have a good job and my industry is thriving (I even got a big raise a few months back), but sometimes we need to take care of ourselves first.

posted by Melismata 20 October | 14:38

Melismata, as the pandemic has continued, my transformation into a bog witch is now almost complete. I have embraced my singledom. What I would like in a partner is very specific in terms of not living with me, not encroaching too much on my time, liking the things I like - cinema, theatre, galleries, museums, architecture, music, hiking, eating out (preferably non-meat). I doubt I will find that in anyone now and, tbh, I'm not looking.

What I do worry about is what happens when (if) I get old and infirm. I literally have nobody to look out for me. That worries me. I try not to think about it but it is a concern.

posted by Senyar 21 October | 08:48

I, too, will be old and alone. Maybe we should all form a convent and share the cost of our upkeep.....

posted by mightshould 21 October | 12:21

I'm a geezer with asthma so I really can't work in any public-facing job, have not found anything remote, have not looked hard, tho. Trying to set a new life goal of some sort, and how does one do that? Looking for ways to manage the cold and dark of isolated covid winter. I know just how you feel, Senyar, I def. feel like a witch, spiritually, as well as in some traditional sense. I have a son, but he is deeply problematic, unlikely to be a reliable caretaker at all. My family is also quite difficult. Makes me quite happy to have this little band of folks, and the bigger group that got us started.

However, today is sunny, I will be able to hang the laundry outside. I have been volunteering for the local Dems, staffing the office, some risk but worth it to help at all. And my finances, while not great, are stable, unlike many. I will outlast Covid to spite Trump, if for no other reason /shakes fist. He is in my part of the US today, and I sorta wish it was pouring rain.

posted by theora55 25 October | 14:20

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