The number one question for me is how long will this last. While there is no shortage of answers, there is no reliable answer. This uncertainty has created a unique discomfort. It feels like we're in a disaster movie, bad things are happening, and we can't tell if this is the first fifteen minutes of the movie or the last fifteen or somewhere in between. Have we still not reached the "this is really serious" part, or are we already making great strides to the glorious ending where we defeat the virus?
One of the odd happenings involves several new age versions of the Flying Dutchman. These are the cruise ships that aren't being allowed to land at any port anywhere because they have or may have infected passengers aboard. There's a boat in Panama that's been at sea for nearly four weeks, has had four passengers die and is not being allowed to land anywhere. Right now there are at least ten ships and over 10,000 passengers who are stranded at sea around the planet.
Back at home, there are stripes on the floor at the grocery stores. The stripes are six feet apart and so must you be if you are in line in the store.
We have been ordering "to-go" from restaurants that we would normally dine in. It's not as satisfying for us, the diners, and the restaurants aren't getting any alcohol sales revenue, but we both get partly what we need.
Health clubs and gyms are closed. People are out walking, just for the sake of walking. They look a little self conscious, like they have found some primitive lost form of movement. Dad, did people really used to do this before cars? Yes, Billy, but only in the city. We never allowed this in the suburbs.
No one is commuting, so oil consumption has plummeted and oil prices are lower than equal measures of milk. Cows ahead of dead dinosaurs. Pollution levels have also regressed as a result.
Social distancing is the newly adopted term. Everyone understands it, most are even paying attention. "Shelter in place" has also been put into frequent use, but that's the one that was borne in a different catastrophe circumstance, so I have rejected it, preferring "just stay home".
Golf courses are closed. This is a problem of myopic government, where a walk outside is deemed more threatening to health than sitting around eating and drinking three weeks worth of groceries and beer in an afternoon while simultaneously avoiding fresh air and exercise.
Governor Jay Pritzker waddles out on TV every afternoon to piss me off anew as he blames everyone and anyone (never himself) for whatever the problem of the day happens to be, all the while doing his best to seem genuine.
Many things happening that we never imagined.
We are under siege.
Stay safe. We will prevail.
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