Let’s talk about the pandemic, shall we? Yesterday was the second anniversary of the first official case of Covid-19 found in the US (of course we know it was here sooner than that: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/five-us-states-had-coronavirus-infections-even-before-first-reported-cases-study-2021-06-15/) and I find myself reflecting on where we were then and where we are today. Well, where I am today anyway.
I used to comment on how the days seemed to melt together. Today is blursday the twenteenth-third of Maypilary used to be one of the many sayings I made up to entertain myself. But now it’s not even that anymore. I know what day it is, but every day is exactly the same. I get up, make coffee, feed the cat, log into my computer, spend the next many hours either working or volunteer working or killing draugr (aka playing video games), feed the cat again, watch the news, watch some shows, talk to my parents, fall asleep on the couch, get up and go to bed.
Every
Single
Day
OK, I may be also dealing with some cabin fever, after all it is January in the northern Midwest. I am not leaving my apartment enough. I am still walking but it’s mostly inside my apartment doing what I call my “loop” – much like a caged zoo animal. With Omicron out there, I barely see anyone. People are sick of Zoom so no one is doing Zoom calls anymore. No one wants to talk on the phone (except my aforementioned parents and even they seem to be done with the whole thing too). Oh, and did I mention people are sick in general? With Omicron, flu, colds (probably Omicron), malaise, depression, sadness.
I fear this is going to be a long, long winter.
I’m staying as healthy as I can. Trying to let myself rest when I need to. Trying to enjoy work, because what else is there. It quite frankly is often my only social interaction during the day, week, month. Teams is my friend. But I’m tired. Like bone-tired. In normal times if I felt like this I’d take a vacation. But where the fuck would I go now? My apartment. Where I’d just repeat the same routine day after day after day.
Ugh.
Every day I try to learn one new thing, and feel grateful that I am healthy, be thankful for the things I have. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, things will get better. I’m probably more optimistic than I was this time last year. Anyway, I think I need to reach out to my friends and demand a phone call at the very least, and try to get back on track.
Whatever “back on track” means these days. Please, Global Warming, bring Spring back to us early this year. I really need to get out of my apartment!
If you haven’t heard from a friend lately, call them, text them, set up a Zoom call. You never know how isolated someone may be feeling right now. Even if you don’t want to do it, do it anyway. You and your friend will both benefit.
I Was Born an Only Child 