This Is Not A Drill
I can't seem to fathom what is ahead for all of us over the next several weeks. Working from home, everything under the sun is closed, no gathering, no social events, and on and on.
If I think about it too hard, I want to go fetal and rock in a corner. Of course, as an introvert, the ability to say no to everyone without guilt is sort of freeing, so that part is welcome. But beyond that, the seclusion, isolation and distancing are not even the hardest parts. It is the loss of routine and balance. It is the ripple effects of a stagnant economy. And, maybe most of all, it's the unknown - the not knowing what's coming next. No one seems to know, so here we sit. Alone.
On Tuesday, most of the Parks and Land Use employees who could work from home were told to do so. I quickly set up a home office and after changing out some old equipment, have made myself comfortable upstairs. And these first two days have been strangely productive. It's amazing what a person can get accomplished with no one else around. So, in that respect, it has been good.
Work aside, I take daily walks outside during which I am occasionally overcome with a sense of apocalyptic dread. The reduced traffic (added to by the construction on Barstow, a main street near us) makes everything eerily quiet. There seems to be less planes in the air as well. Streets are empty or close to it.
Much of this is a good thing, don't get me wrong. It's opened up my eyes to how frantic we've become as a society. With no where to go, life slows down. If nothing else, it has made me aware of how packed my schedule was - and I'm not even that busy most days. It is nice to kind of chill and not fret about where I need to be tonight, next week or next month. It is freeing.
This seems like the world's biggest social experiment, and people are stepping up to the plate. I do see more people out walking and running, which is refreshing. I have also seen more online activities and social networking than ever, much of it involving creative endeavors. The social media memes and videos are hilarious in the midst of the plight we're all in. Everyone is pulling together, figuratively at least, and when this blows over, we'll all have a better understanding of who we are.
In the meantime, keep your distance, wash your hands and slow down.
We'll get through this.
Blogging off...
If I think about it too hard, I want to go fetal and rock in a corner. Of course, as an introvert, the ability to say no to everyone without guilt is sort of freeing, so that part is welcome. But beyond that, the seclusion, isolation and distancing are not even the hardest parts. It is the loss of routine and balance. It is the ripple effects of a stagnant economy. And, maybe most of all, it's the unknown - the not knowing what's coming next. No one seems to know, so here we sit. Alone.
On Tuesday, most of the Parks and Land Use employees who could work from home were told to do so. I quickly set up a home office and after changing out some old equipment, have made myself comfortable upstairs. And these first two days have been strangely productive. It's amazing what a person can get accomplished with no one else around. So, in that respect, it has been good.
Work aside, I take daily walks outside during which I am occasionally overcome with a sense of apocalyptic dread. The reduced traffic (added to by the construction on Barstow, a main street near us) makes everything eerily quiet. There seems to be less planes in the air as well. Streets are empty or close to it.
Much of this is a good thing, don't get me wrong. It's opened up my eyes to how frantic we've become as a society. With no where to go, life slows down. If nothing else, it has made me aware of how packed my schedule was - and I'm not even that busy most days. It is nice to kind of chill and not fret about where I need to be tonight, next week or next month. It is freeing.
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| There's no place like work...from home. |
In the meantime, keep your distance, wash your hands and slow down.
We'll get through this.
Blogging off...
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