COVID

The COVID beat goes on

~ lacasanova

Each day, I wake up, shower, style my hair, brush my teeth, and put on fresh clothing. I turn on my computer, review emails, and determine which project I’ll tackle first. This happens every weekday. The weekends are similar, except the projects are usually home chores that may or may not get done. Since March, when COVID made itself known enough for us to take cover, this has been my routine. I try not to think about when this might end, how it affects my thoughts and feelings, and what it’s doing to everyone I love, but sometimes it becomes very obvious how much stress this is causing, even for me who doesn’t have much to worry about.

I recently watched a video of a young woman somewhere in France, standing in front of a shop with her arms held open, a blindfold, and a sign that says “Free Hugs.” The video showed all the different people who hugged her. And they were all good hugs, great even. The people held her close as she hugged them back, then stepped away to continue on down the street. They ranged from young men and women to older people and children, and I teared up when I watched because I realized how much I miss having the freedom to just hug someone I may have just met or see occasionally or haven’t seen in a long while. The feeling of connection with someone else once you wrap your arms around them and squeeze a little can’t be minimized.

As humans, we all crave connection with others. I am someone who doesn’t enjoy crowds or lots of socializing, but even I’ve reached the point where the lack of daily interaction with people other than my husband has affected me. Even though I may try to think otherwise.

So, I talk with my coworkers on the phone, getting to know them somewhat while plowing through the never-ending urgent projects that come my way. I haven’t met any of them in person, so they’re all voices to me, and sometimes photos if they include those in their email. My team doesn’t do video, which is both a blessing and a hindrance. I rely heavily on facial expressions and body language, and now I find myself relying on vocal intonation and inflexion, and on often poorly worded emails. So, yes, I’m struggling a bit with it all.

Here are my high points in all this:

Schwan’s delivery: Lots to choose from, with many time-saving and delicious options delivered right to my door. My favorites:

  • Sausage, egg, and cheese English-muffin sandwiches
  • Blueberry scone dough
  • Hot-and-spicy breaded chicken breast fillets

I am also a big fan of the budget-friendly Matua Sauvignon Blanc. Light and citrusy and it goes well with these hot summer days of COVID isolation.

And then there’s eSalon for making sure my gray hairs remain undercover. A bargain at $22, but it takes some effort on my part. I’m fine with that, but I miss my stylist.

So, no lunch with you yet, my friend, but let me recommend the Schwan’s spicy breasts. So easy to heat up and throw on a bun with some mayo and pickles. And there’s always my very favorite lunch: a turkey sandwich.

Alive but only somewhat living

~ lacasanova

So, it’s been awhile. A lot has happened. A few jobs come and gone, and the bitter memories and trauma remain in addition to the lessons learned. And now another lesson in progress: working for a narcissistic female really sucks. I don’t recommend it, and this should mean I’ve paid my dues and will find a fantastic role and manager soon, right? I mean, I will. I’m working on it.

And another thing. This COVID stuff sucks. If people were already mentally messed up before, this virus and the various reactions to it are enough to challenge the best of us. I have to stay updated on information, but I don’t need the constant sharing (forcing) of opinions on what each person should do to stay safe. That’s not how I work. When people tell me to do things their way or a certain way, unless I see why I should, I can’t listen anymore to what you say. I’m being smart; after all, I wasn’t out and about all the time pre-COVID (thank God for the internet, online shopping, and e-books), so I haven’t changed other than the occasional times I used to socialize have been severely cut back.

I want to see my family, but if I see them, what if they get sick because I didn’t know I was sick and gave it to them? So I see them, but then worry for the next week or so to see if anyone falls ill. So many limitations, restrictions, and conflicting information. My mind is on overdrive with all the research I want to do and all the worry and the corresponding positive self-talk.

So, what can I tell you that may entertain you? Have you thought about the life of insects? I’m following a bug identification group on Facebook, and I’ve learned a lot about spiders, caterpillars, flies, ticks, bed bugs, and roaches. You’d be surprised by the people who know so much about which are good, which are venomous, and which are rare. I also learned about worms in chickens and how you should treat this problem. Let’s just say that you have to treat the entire flock, clean the eggs in bleach water, and hope you never have to see the picture I saw posted today. But…it’s much better than seeing posts with political rants or hate speech or videos of rioting and violence.

So, for recommendations today, let me say that I LOVE Prose products for my hair and will probably never change. I’ve recently started coloring my hair with home coloring kits from e-Salon, and when I do try to make myself presentable (for a video call), I love Lira BB cream instead of foundation. A little bit of BB, some blush, cover up, and mascara, and I look alive.

For food today, may I recommend Hello Fresh meal kits? Even though I’m working from home, I spend the former commute time online, and it’s actually even more difficult to plan dinner. I try to choose meals that take 30 minutes or less, but everything I’ve had from them is worth the effort and delicious. They are even starting to branch out into lunch options, and I give that a big thumbs up.

Stay safe, and let’s get together again soon. This blog thing lets us communicate with the appropriate social distancing, eh?