Tag Archives: Corona Virus

Eat-sentially…

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My work wife and I went into the office today. My first time being back at my desk since last Tuesday. After being at our respective desks for a while we decided coffee was needed, but in world of coronavirus the question then became – who is open?

Generally, there are no less than ten places within walking distance in which coffee could be procured on a normal weekday. But this is not a normal day which we quickly reminded. The kiosks were closed. The concession stand was closed. The two popular restaurant chains were closed. The three Starbucks in the immediate area were closed.

I work for an agency that provides essential services, in my area are other agencies that also provide essential services. We’re all 24/7/366 we knew someone had to be open in the area and we found it.

Unlike the chains, this is a privately owned bar/restaurant. The owner understood that essential workers were still coming in and we have to eat. Yes, a lot of the food options were trimmed from the menu, and all of it was take-out only now, but it was open for business.

In the mornings around 9am, there is always a line of workers getting their grub and the oh so necessary caffeine fix. However, knowing there is always a line is one thing. Seeing that same line with social distancing engaged is another.

Granted exactly how close/far the suggested six feet of distance between people needs to be worked by some out, but it was in place.

Food line up in the time of Corona…

I got on the quickly growing line to hold a place while my work-wife went to the register to find out if we had to be on it to get coffee. Luckily, because we were only getting coffee we did not have to get on line. We were in and out of there quickly.

It’s a unique world we’re in right now. We know it’s not easy for the owners or the workers who come in to keep us caffeinated and fed. But it is appreciated.

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Wow Day 26! I’m essentially kicking it for today’s Slice of Life Writing Challenge for 2020.

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Too Much & Not Enough

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Today I’ve several hours bouncing between authoring two different training manuals for applications in beta stages. I tweaked a current manual for a application in production, that I forgot to update seemingly ago. Tested a function to make sure it does what I think it does in the manner I think it should. Emailed assistance to work clients, phone assistance to the tech challenged who know I’m home and think I can stop everything and be their personal desktop support because they are working from home and need help now. All the, while completely ignoring that I too am working from and cannot be ‘away from my desk’ for any length of time. I know this is Murphy Law in the making – if I respond to the “I’m sure it’s something simple that you’ll figure out easy” while actually be something that will have me there for over an hour.

Ten minutes after I clocked-out for the day, I realized I could not remember if I saved any the the important documents I had open. I had not, nor had I pressed sent “Send” on three different emails. Other than the tweak, I am not anywhere near to completion on either manuals as I had hoped to be by now.

Once “home” I spent that over an hour I feared being helpdesk support. Back to my own stuff, the pattern repeated itself. in getting caught up in yesterdays projects I fell behind in professionally and then personally. I realized I did not respond to the emails of a few other people. Including one to a good friend in thanks for a favor received. Downloaded but have yet to review a document being translated form French to English. Looked up information to ensure I have in fact cancelled all the travel arrangements made for the next couple of weeks. among other things.

Luckily, I have not turned off my alarm for 2300. It’s the one I use so I know to stop what I’m doing and prepare what ever clothes I need for work the next day and wash any dishes waiting etc. Unluckily it also reminds me that I have yet to do what I am ding this exact moment – my slice.

And all of this on a machine that has me crossing fingers and toes, wishing on stars and seeking goodvibes that it doesn’t quit before it’s laid off.

I have two extra hours to get things done since I am not commuting. How am I so overworked?

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Day 25: alive and barely kicking for today’s Slice of Life Writing challenge for 2020 – but I am still kicking.

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And Counting…

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It’s a little weird for me as an office worker and slicer right now.

We are in Day 20 of this challenge. My head knows there are only eleven days to go and it’s done. That once far off horizon has shown signs of a shore, I can see this year’s sailing is almost over.

I once has bronchitis. My doctor put me on a week’s bed rest. I only had to get through a mere eight days of being in bed. I lasted all of five days; technically four and a half. Yes, I was in my flat, but I was not in bed. I’m just not that person. On that fifth day, by early afternoon I simply had to get out of the house.

Eight days; the shore was clearly in sight – and I failed.

On Facebook I had quipped, that this self-isolating and self-sequestering must be an agoraphobes dream. Perhaps it is, but I am not an agoraphobe.

I am now on Day 3 of self isolation and working from home. The saving grace is that it’s Friday. Tomorrow I will go out to do laundry first thing in the morning. Then I will do a small grocery run – after all perishables like milk and bread do not last forever. I live in an area that services like Fresh Direct do not deliver and the cost would be prohibitive. Not to mention I am picky about some food items and just need to get them myself. In my neighbor the early afternoon is when people are beginning to crowd places, so I will be fine. I know I should done with everything and back in my home by 1pm. Still, I am one of the lucky ones in that I get the option to self-isolate and work remotely.

I work for an agency that is in operation 24/7/366. We’ve instituted limited or a rotating staff, but I have colleagues in other departments that must come in. Their jobs cannot be done remotely and they cannot continuously use up time their leave banks when no one knows how long the wait will be.

In seemingly just a couple of days, the estimates of when this may end has gone from a couple of weeks, to a couple of months to perhaps early autumn. It all depends on how fast we can flatten the curve here in the City That Never Sleeps and globally. Still, as I commented to another slicer yesterday I refuse to consider this my new norm. For however long this lasts there is nothing normal about this.

It is only Day 4 since the good ship “Self Isolation” has officially sailed here in NYC. We can’t say “Bon Voyage”. We’re headed into the rough waters right now and who knows how long it will take before it looks like smooth sailing again. Most of us will go a little stir crazy/Cabin feverish on this voyage from time to time and to all of ys I add “Bon Courage.” But voyages, however long they may be, are by their very nature temporary things. They have a beginning and more importantly – they have an end. Thus I have chosen to take a quote from the TV show LOST:

“See you on the other side…”

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Getting it done from home on Day 20, of the Slice of Life Writing challenge for 2020 – let’s see how others are slicing it:

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Message from the Universe: Live

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Every now and then an inspired soul will randomly graffiti a sidewalk, or wall; tack a note to a tree; stick a note in a flowerbed etc. with a message that resonates with me. I call them messages from the universe. I saw this lovely message graffitied on a landing of my train station on the way to work this morning and had to post it to my facebook page.

Photo of sidewalk graffiti that reads: Today is a Good Day for a Good Day. My added words: You know what? Yes, it's Monday. Yes, we're Living in the Time of Corona Virus, but we are in fact alive. Let's live people.❤

What I liked most about this simple message was its location. In order to see this you would have, presumably, paid your fare and be on the way up the stairs to the train platform level. That means the decision to get up, go through whatever your morning routine may be and then go where you have to go, to do what you have to do has already been made and put into motion.

That’s already a step in a good direction.

I mean no one purposely sets out to have a bad day. At least I hope not. I fully admit I am not a morning person. Yes, I get up bright and surly every weekday morning, but no, I do not get up with the thought that the day will be a lousy one and I am going to do everything I can to keep it so. I presume it is the same for most people.

That we do this out of habit, necessity, or boss’ orders is especially noteworthy in today’s climate where that decision to step outside your home means contact with others who have made that same decision. We are now hyper sensitive to what that can mean.

We have gone through mad cow, e-coli, bird flu and other medical scares. I am fully cognizant that this is a more virulent and wide spread strain of anything we’ve seen before, but as a species, we have survived and we will continue to. Some have sequestered or been quarantined in various levels before, but what we have not done is stop living.

COVID-19 has hit hard in Italy, among other places. Still, no one can deny the joie de vivre in the videos of Italians singing during quarantine. They are quarantined, not knowing what the next day will bring. Yet they sing. Why? Because they are alive, but above all they have not stopped living.

So yes, be safe. Take ALL the precautions: avoid unnecessary contact with others and yourself; sneeze and cough into a tissue or not partially above or partially under – but directly into the crook of your elbows; use sanitizers every where you can; and for God’s sake, please wash your hands!

Remember people that you are alive, so live! And in spite of it all…

Have A Good Day!

It is day 16 of the Slice of Life Writing challenge for 2020. Let’s see how others are slicing it up on this good day!

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Right Now…

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Right Now I’m…

Listening to my iTunes, Non-Stop from the Original Broadway Cast recording of “Hamilton” is playing. It’s fitting as I have been on my computer for the past couple of week writing “like you’re running out of time” either for work or personal projects.

Loving that I am writing voraciously. Muse has been nearly excessively generous of late and I hope that I, her obedient servant, am in fact serving her well. She is wicked when takes away her gifts for lack of or improper use. I do not want to incur her wrath again.

Drinking nearly a gallon of water a day on average. I have done so for the past few weeks and I have to admit, other than the increased bathroom runs, it has been beneficial. My complexion is clearer and I actually feel hydrated.

Thinking about Love in the Time of CoViD-19. I was preparing to attend my cousin’s wedding in Boston at the end of the month. As I started writing this slice the word came down that while the wedding/marriage itself, now shrunk down to immediate family only will still happen, the reception afterwards has been officially cancelled. I know it was a hard decision to come to and not made lightly as there are family members, especially the international ones who, like me, now have to scramble to cancel hotel and travel arrangements.

Wondering now whether my trip to Atlanta for 221BCon in April will happen with the Corona Virus scare. I check the event’s social media pages daily. As of this morning the event has not been, nor look like it’s going to be cancelled – yet…

Wanting to behave like an adult. I have plenty of clothes. I don’t need to buy anything for the convention should it happen. I really should choose among the plenty I already have, but I’m also a girl at times and I saw this fabulous outfit online… Le Sigh!

Needing a vacation. We’re in the long period between President’s Day in February and Memorial Day at the end of May, with no government holidays between them. The convention in Atlanta, if it happens, would be a nice break, but it is an extended weekend at best. I want a full out week of vacation at the minimum and no, being quarantined is not a vacation.

Worrying about various friends who are each facing a major surgery over the next few weeks. Two will be close where I can be of help. The others are far in a way that I can’t even pretend about it. All I can do is send good healing vibes, well wishes and prayers.

Procrastinating ironing clothes. I can’t stand ironing. I have clothes in a bag to be ironed from the last time I did laundry a month ago and it’s time to do laundry again, meaning the bag is going to have new additions. I like wrinkle-free clothing, I just don’t like the process of ironing itself. Had I the funds, I would happily pay to have someone come to my home just to iron. Did I mention I. Abhor. Ironing? Maybe later this evening…

Anticipating with much hope that my trip to London, England for my birthday will happen! I’m scheduled to be a panel speaker at the inaugural HolmesCon 2020 and I’m so looking forward to it. Just thinking about it makes me have a banana almost to my to ears. 

Reading other slices and later on some fanfiction to take my mind off the above mentioned worry for friends and disappointment of the cancelled wedding. And yes, I’m still procrastinating on ironing clothes. Maybe tomorrow…

And Thanking aggiekesler for this cool format I have used for today’s slice. It’s one I am sure I will turn to again.

Day 15 of the Slice of Life Writing challenge for 2020. Let’s see how others are slicing it up this halfway point!

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