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Day #57 of Self-Isolation in Epidemic Central
Thank you so much for your responses to "the poll post". I was thinking about doing a "poll" but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I prefer to see your actual words and responses. I'm tired of numbers. I see them all day long. Facts and figures. I prefer to see people, to know there is an actual person there - with actual experiences, hopes, dreams, concerns, that may or may not be similar to mine. It makes me feel less alone somehow, if that makes sense? And that we're all in this boat together, whether we want to be or not.
[ETA: I had an interesting discussion with my old college roommate on FB, it was brief regarding masks...that I think I should share and almost forgot to.
"Email from NY Governor last night: "Why wear a mask? Out of respect. When you wear a mask you are saying, I respect my neighbors. When you wear a mask you are saying, I respect nurses and doctors. When you wear a mask you are saying, I respect other people. We all need to show respect to one another in difficult times. Wearing a face covering is a small inconvenience to protect others. We have gotten through this crisis by standing together and doing the right thing. The right thing — the respectful thing — is to wear a mask."
J: This is hard for me to wrap my head around, because I don't see unmasked people as disrespecting or disregarding others. It's not just ignorance. There's a lot of conflicting information out there, so this is coming down to a belief system for many.
Me: I think if you think of it as the same thing as choosing to wear a condom - in case you have AIDS? COVID-19 shares one major similarity with AIDS, in that you may never have any symptoms and just be a carrier. And never know it. Also, this is how I view it? I have chosen to err on the side of caution, to provide someone else with an added level of safety and security, and myself that same level. While we are entitled to our beliefs and opinions, we are only entitled to them to the extent that they do no harm. If our beliefs hurt others, they should not be allowed. First do no harm. Respect = showing someone else that we are willing to do whatever it takes to show them that we will not harm them. Factual data has been provided from epidemologists and viralogists that masks work. In addition - we have been shown it works - with the health care workers, and in areas that have done so, and those who have not. And the evidence is readily available. Ignorance and religious belief does harm, and is not an excuse for harming others.
Also, regarding information - the trick is to only follow reputable sources that provide facts. There's a lot of misinformation - and it's from people who are NOT experts. All you need to do is look at the COVID MAP OF DOOM, from Johns Hopkins which hat the countries that imposed these measures have fewer cases and deaths than we do. Hello - China? Or South Korea? Japan? New Zealand? Germany? We [US] have the most deaths in the world.
[Sigh. Yeah, you can tell that I'm a frustrated attorney, right?]
Crazy Workplace
Crazy workplace reiterated during weekly staff meeting what I'd more or less figured out on my own. Our work from home order has been extended to mid-June, and possibly beyond to July. If and when we come back to the office, it will most likely be in mid-July. They are doing it in phases - with the operations group coming in first, then the administrative staff will be in the next phase. This will most likely happen in July. So, we've been told to keep doing what we are doing to prove that the we can work effectively from home or handle the remote from home work without any problems. (Actually, I've proven that I can do everything I did at the office from home, as has everyone else. Most of what we do can and is done electronically anyhow. But if this continues past July and I'm working from home permanently, I'm getting a desk top computer, and a printer/scanner. Also a small file cabinet, with files, two hole punch, stapler, etc. Not to mention a more comfy chair. And possibly a standing desk. But I don't think it will.) They are also moving forward with the tranformation/merger of the two railroads, but no worries - we're not going anywhere, it's cheaper to keep us where we are, and we've proven we can work remotely, so the need to put people in the same office space is no longer being considered as necessary. )
One of our team is out sick - but I don't know if it is COVID.
Funny bit of news? Depending on one's sense of humor, I guess. So, crazy organization had offered COVID-10 anti-body tests to everyone in the organization. Then, the next email?
Due to the high demand for antibody testing, Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care will not be able to provide testing at this time. We hope to have this issue resolved in the coming days. We are committed to providing access to antibody testing at no cost to all employees. We will be in touch as soon as additional information becomes available.
LOL!
Oh well, they are trying. I can't get the test without taking a subway - which is now going every 5-12 minutes for essential workers. It used to be every 15 to 20 minutes. It's also apparently really clean. After this is all over - NYC is going to be REALLY clean. There's all these sanitation regulations in effect. That is except for the streets and sidewalks - and Prospect Park. There's been no street cleaning, because they don't want people to have to leave lock-down to move their cars. They shouldn't have worried - people are leaving lock-down to walk dogs, jog, cycle, go on grocery runs, go to the Home Depot, go to parks, take long drives - we're not exactly under quarantine - we can move around, in case you were wondering. We just
can't really go anywhere. We can't go to the office and work (unless we're considered essential) - which by the way, I can go into the office and pick up stuff if I so desire, I just have to inform my management that I'm doing it, when I'm doing it, and pick a time after and before rush hours, when the office is open. (ie. do not show up after 6PM and expect it to be open, or before 6AM. Considering the subways shut down between 1 - 5 AM now, I don't see that as being an issue. Not that I plan on going in there anyhow - my office is located in epidemic central, and getting there requires walking to the subway, taking it, walking to the train terminal, taking the train, and walking into the building. Considering I'm afraid to go grocery shopping - this isn't happening. I'm waiting until July or August.
Co-worker (Sci-Fan who got me to watch "Those Who Walk in the Shadows" (and by the way has that started back up again? I may have to find it on Hulu.) ) asked if he could do anything for me when he goes into the office for a bid opening on Friday.
I thanked him and told him that I couldn't think of anything. He's driving in. The guy is close to 70. But very little phases him. Kind of envious.
New York vs. the Corona Virus
NY Quarantine is kind of interesting. All non-essential businesses are shut down. That means all libraries, retail stores (that are not grocery stores), book stores, offices, museums, playgrounds, theaters, sporting outfits, massage parlors, beauty salons, pretty much anything that is indoors, all restaurants, bars, nightclubs..are shut down. Public Beaches are all close in NYC and Long Island, and may well be for the summer. So are all pools, gyms, etc. So no one can really go anywhere. You can pick up stuff curbside at some stores. I think Target, Wallmart, Home Depot, are open. Best Buy is curbside. So basically if you have a car and can drive, you are golden. Ugh.
This, as you can well imagine, is killing New York's economy. And it will get worse before it gets better. Crazy Org cut it's budget by a lot of money. People keep throwing million, billion and trillion amounts around - and I'm getting confused.
I mean think about this for a minute? The New York Times reported today that the big banking and financial companies figured out that their people could work as effectively at home as they could in the office. Which means they can down-size on office space and office overhead. Twitter basically told their entire staff that they could telecommute indefinitely. Do you have any idea how much money that takes away from NY Real Estate? Office space in New York was going at a premium. WeWork had turned all of Lord & Taylor into offices and work space. The work space they were pushing was "open work space" that did not promote social distancing, and had no walls. Everyone sitting at tables with computers. Guess who may be declaring bankruptcy in 2021? Add to that the theaters - which are not designed for social distancing at all. Broadway was booming...now..? And that's a good percentage of New York's economy right there. New York is also a huge tourist attraction.
The whole thing is massively depressing and frustrating. Meanwhile - a dash of hope - the House is trying to pass a huge trillion dollar stimulus package that is called the Heroes Bill - that is slated to benefit states, Essential Workers, testing, and people who are unemployed. But the Republicans have decided they are going to fight it and put in money for small businesses, because the last three packages didn't already do that? Senator McConnell is a Disney Supervillain, who needs to have a serious spiritual awakening - why can't the Universe plague him with a Dickens nightmare?
Sigh.
Greenwood Cemetery
To get rid of my frustration and anxiety, not to mention the fact that after being inside my apartment all day yesterday and today, I was getting claustrophobic, yes, the walls were starting to close in, so - I decided to take another walk around Greenwood Cemetery and proceeded to get lost. It's relatively easy to get lost in Greenwood Cemetery - not only is the thing huge, but a lot of it looks alike. There are a few standout landmarks, but not many. Also it's huge. Every time I go there - I'm afraid I'll get lost and locked in. Because the gates close at 7PM.
Up until I got lost, I was enjoying myself. It was meditative. And peaceful. I could walk for a good thirty minutes, mask down beneath my nose, without seeing a soul - and when I did we could stay at least ten feet apart for the most part. I think I only passed a few people in the cemetery at a closer range - and that had to do with the fact that I wanted to go in a certain direction because I was lost.
Also hills to climb, wooded paths, flowers, freshly mown grass...bright sunshine. And lots and lots of open space. I passed a guy laying in the grass, over one of the graves, and a couple of guys seated on a mauseleum chatting.
Apparently, I'm not the only one wandering about a cemetery to get relief from cabin fever.
I wandered up to Lookout Point, where the big castle like mausoleum is, and got lost on the way down. I thought I was going in one direction and discovered that I miscalculated one of the landmarks - it looked like the mausoleum caves and hills I'd come up, with the dogwood trees, but apparently there was another one that looked just like it. I asked a couple where the Fort Hamilton Entrance was - and they looked confused, and said I was closer to the Park Slope Entrance and the Main Entrance was in the direction I was headed. Whoops. It was 5:45PM, and the place closed at 7PM.
I proceeded to panic. And pulled out, with shaky fingers my Iphone and found the GPS map, and figured out where I was, where the entrance was, and headed in that general direction - eventually it appeared I was going in the right direction - but I asked another couple coming towards me and they said, yes, it's this way, we just came from there. Readers? I thanked the Universe profusely, and once again began to enjoy myself.
This is the one drawback of Greenwood Cemetery - you can get lost. Other than that, lovely place. Although I do sometimes wish there were less dead people, but it is a cemetery so what do can I expect? Besides the dead people are rather nice, quiet, no problems. In fact I'm pretty certain they aren't there any longer - just dust. Everything returns to the dust from which it was made, one way or another.
The other drawback of Greenwood Cemetery is the Fort Hamilton Entrance does border Borough Park, but barely. I mean I really don't see hardly anyone. Did see a bunch of Orthodox Jews (in full gear - men, with the tall hats, etc.) around 6:15PM or thereabouts. I got home by 6:30-6:45PM. So the walk there isn't far. I'm about six to ten blocks. I really don't go into Borough Park at all - outside of the entrance to Greenwood, which like I said isn't an issue. And the grocery store kind of borders it, but most of the people in the borough don't use that grocery store - it tends to serve the people in Kensington area more.
Overall it's a far safer and easier walk than Prospect Park. I also find the grounds to be more attractive and better maintained - an odd thing to say about a cemetery I know, but there it is.
When I go out - I wear a mask. I don't wear gloves because of THIS and I had numerous nurses on FB including former ATPOBTVS board member Midnight Jane, inform me that I was better off not wearing them. I also discovered rather quickly that wearing gloves did not keep me from touching my face. I was better off with my hands and purel. When I take walks I'm not touching anything - outside of my phone. I didn't touch the apartment doors - because they were open. And I don't take the elevator. I only take it when I want to go to the basement, which is only to get rid of recycling and to do laundry. But I ran across a woman walking through the cemetery with a hood, black leather clothes, and a mask. And sunglasses. I thought it was kind of overkill for the cemetery. Meanwhile there were people wandering about without any mask or anything at all.
Miscellaneous
I'm grateful that I joined crazy workplace, because I know it won't lay me off any time soon, and will give me a good wage and benefits. Also it is going out of its way at the moment to keep its employees safe. I'm grateful I live in a city and state with leadership that genuinely cares about its people and is trying to work with them and not against them. Even though working with and managing people is close to impossible - it's akin to herding cats actually. I'm grateful I have a safe and quiet apartment. That my family is even safer than I am. That I can order food in, without having to make painful trips to the grocery store to get it. And I'm grateful that to my knowledge, I haven't gotten this thing - or if I have, I got it in November.
There are things I wish I had or I had done differently. But, don't we all? I don't necessarily regret what I've chosen - I did my best with the knowledge available to me at the time. There's so much second-guessing in our culture. We should have done that or we should have done this.
It doesn't help. It doesn't change anything.
So, I'm learning to adapt and make the best of what I have. Will state meditation has helped. I'd probably be a slobbering mess without it - well that and a few other items. CBD really does help.
Oh..this made me laugh today... 200 Goats Escape and Roam the Streets of East San Jose
Hee Hee.
[ETA: I had an interesting discussion with my old college roommate on FB, it was brief regarding masks...that I think I should share and almost forgot to.
"Email from NY Governor last night: "Why wear a mask? Out of respect. When you wear a mask you are saying, I respect my neighbors. When you wear a mask you are saying, I respect nurses and doctors. When you wear a mask you are saying, I respect other people. We all need to show respect to one another in difficult times. Wearing a face covering is a small inconvenience to protect others. We have gotten through this crisis by standing together and doing the right thing. The right thing — the respectful thing — is to wear a mask."
J: This is hard for me to wrap my head around, because I don't see unmasked people as disrespecting or disregarding others. It's not just ignorance. There's a lot of conflicting information out there, so this is coming down to a belief system for many.
Me: I think if you think of it as the same thing as choosing to wear a condom - in case you have AIDS? COVID-19 shares one major similarity with AIDS, in that you may never have any symptoms and just be a carrier. And never know it. Also, this is how I view it? I have chosen to err on the side of caution, to provide someone else with an added level of safety and security, and myself that same level. While we are entitled to our beliefs and opinions, we are only entitled to them to the extent that they do no harm. If our beliefs hurt others, they should not be allowed. First do no harm. Respect = showing someone else that we are willing to do whatever it takes to show them that we will not harm them. Factual data has been provided from epidemologists and viralogists that masks work. In addition - we have been shown it works - with the health care workers, and in areas that have done so, and those who have not. And the evidence is readily available. Ignorance and religious belief does harm, and is not an excuse for harming others.
Also, regarding information - the trick is to only follow reputable sources that provide facts. There's a lot of misinformation - and it's from people who are NOT experts. All you need to do is look at the COVID MAP OF DOOM, from Johns Hopkins which hat the countries that imposed these measures have fewer cases and deaths than we do. Hello - China? Or South Korea? Japan? New Zealand? Germany? We [US] have the most deaths in the world.
[Sigh. Yeah, you can tell that I'm a frustrated attorney, right?]
Crazy Workplace
Crazy workplace reiterated during weekly staff meeting what I'd more or less figured out on my own. Our work from home order has been extended to mid-June, and possibly beyond to July. If and when we come back to the office, it will most likely be in mid-July. They are doing it in phases - with the operations group coming in first, then the administrative staff will be in the next phase. This will most likely happen in July. So, we've been told to keep doing what we are doing to prove that the we can work effectively from home or handle the remote from home work without any problems. (Actually, I've proven that I can do everything I did at the office from home, as has everyone else. Most of what we do can and is done electronically anyhow. But if this continues past July and I'm working from home permanently, I'm getting a desk top computer, and a printer/scanner. Also a small file cabinet, with files, two hole punch, stapler, etc. Not to mention a more comfy chair. And possibly a standing desk. But I don't think it will.) They are also moving forward with the tranformation/merger of the two railroads, but no worries - we're not going anywhere, it's cheaper to keep us where we are, and we've proven we can work remotely, so the need to put people in the same office space is no longer being considered as necessary. )
One of our team is out sick - but I don't know if it is COVID.
Funny bit of news? Depending on one's sense of humor, I guess. So, crazy organization had offered COVID-10 anti-body tests to everyone in the organization. Then, the next email?
Due to the high demand for antibody testing, Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care will not be able to provide testing at this time. We hope to have this issue resolved in the coming days. We are committed to providing access to antibody testing at no cost to all employees. We will be in touch as soon as additional information becomes available.
LOL!
Oh well, they are trying. I can't get the test without taking a subway - which is now going every 5-12 minutes for essential workers. It used to be every 15 to 20 minutes. It's also apparently really clean. After this is all over - NYC is going to be REALLY clean. There's all these sanitation regulations in effect. That is except for the streets and sidewalks - and Prospect Park. There's been no street cleaning, because they don't want people to have to leave lock-down to move their cars. They shouldn't have worried - people are leaving lock-down to walk dogs, jog, cycle, go on grocery runs, go to the Home Depot, go to parks, take long drives - we're not exactly under quarantine - we can move around, in case you were wondering. We just
can't really go anywhere. We can't go to the office and work (unless we're considered essential) - which by the way, I can go into the office and pick up stuff if I so desire, I just have to inform my management that I'm doing it, when I'm doing it, and pick a time after and before rush hours, when the office is open. (ie. do not show up after 6PM and expect it to be open, or before 6AM. Considering the subways shut down between 1 - 5 AM now, I don't see that as being an issue. Not that I plan on going in there anyhow - my office is located in epidemic central, and getting there requires walking to the subway, taking it, walking to the train terminal, taking the train, and walking into the building. Considering I'm afraid to go grocery shopping - this isn't happening. I'm waiting until July or August.
Co-worker (Sci-Fan who got me to watch "Those Who Walk in the Shadows" (and by the way has that started back up again? I may have to find it on Hulu.) ) asked if he could do anything for me when he goes into the office for a bid opening on Friday.
I thanked him and told him that I couldn't think of anything. He's driving in. The guy is close to 70. But very little phases him. Kind of envious.
New York vs. the Corona Virus
NY Quarantine is kind of interesting. All non-essential businesses are shut down. That means all libraries, retail stores (that are not grocery stores), book stores, offices, museums, playgrounds, theaters, sporting outfits, massage parlors, beauty salons, pretty much anything that is indoors, all restaurants, bars, nightclubs..are shut down. Public Beaches are all close in NYC and Long Island, and may well be for the summer. So are all pools, gyms, etc. So no one can really go anywhere. You can pick up stuff curbside at some stores. I think Target, Wallmart, Home Depot, are open. Best Buy is curbside. So basically if you have a car and can drive, you are golden. Ugh.
This, as you can well imagine, is killing New York's economy. And it will get worse before it gets better. Crazy Org cut it's budget by a lot of money. People keep throwing million, billion and trillion amounts around - and I'm getting confused.
I mean think about this for a minute? The New York Times reported today that the big banking and financial companies figured out that their people could work as effectively at home as they could in the office. Which means they can down-size on office space and office overhead. Twitter basically told their entire staff that they could telecommute indefinitely. Do you have any idea how much money that takes away from NY Real Estate? Office space in New York was going at a premium. WeWork had turned all of Lord & Taylor into offices and work space. The work space they were pushing was "open work space" that did not promote social distancing, and had no walls. Everyone sitting at tables with computers. Guess who may be declaring bankruptcy in 2021? Add to that the theaters - which are not designed for social distancing at all. Broadway was booming...now..? And that's a good percentage of New York's economy right there. New York is also a huge tourist attraction.
The whole thing is massively depressing and frustrating. Meanwhile - a dash of hope - the House is trying to pass a huge trillion dollar stimulus package that is called the Heroes Bill - that is slated to benefit states, Essential Workers, testing, and people who are unemployed. But the Republicans have decided they are going to fight it and put in money for small businesses, because the last three packages didn't already do that? Senator McConnell is a Disney Supervillain, who needs to have a serious spiritual awakening - why can't the Universe plague him with a Dickens nightmare?
Sigh.
Greenwood Cemetery
To get rid of my frustration and anxiety, not to mention the fact that after being inside my apartment all day yesterday and today, I was getting claustrophobic, yes, the walls were starting to close in, so - I decided to take another walk around Greenwood Cemetery and proceeded to get lost. It's relatively easy to get lost in Greenwood Cemetery - not only is the thing huge, but a lot of it looks alike. There are a few standout landmarks, but not many. Also it's huge. Every time I go there - I'm afraid I'll get lost and locked in. Because the gates close at 7PM.
Up until I got lost, I was enjoying myself. It was meditative. And peaceful. I could walk for a good thirty minutes, mask down beneath my nose, without seeing a soul - and when I did we could stay at least ten feet apart for the most part. I think I only passed a few people in the cemetery at a closer range - and that had to do with the fact that I wanted to go in a certain direction because I was lost.
Also hills to climb, wooded paths, flowers, freshly mown grass...bright sunshine. And lots and lots of open space. I passed a guy laying in the grass, over one of the graves, and a couple of guys seated on a mauseleum chatting.
Apparently, I'm not the only one wandering about a cemetery to get relief from cabin fever.
I wandered up to Lookout Point, where the big castle like mausoleum is, and got lost on the way down. I thought I was going in one direction and discovered that I miscalculated one of the landmarks - it looked like the mausoleum caves and hills I'd come up, with the dogwood trees, but apparently there was another one that looked just like it. I asked a couple where the Fort Hamilton Entrance was - and they looked confused, and said I was closer to the Park Slope Entrance and the Main Entrance was in the direction I was headed. Whoops. It was 5:45PM, and the place closed at 7PM.
I proceeded to panic. And pulled out, with shaky fingers my Iphone and found the GPS map, and figured out where I was, where the entrance was, and headed in that general direction - eventually it appeared I was going in the right direction - but I asked another couple coming towards me and they said, yes, it's this way, we just came from there. Readers? I thanked the Universe profusely, and once again began to enjoy myself.
This is the one drawback of Greenwood Cemetery - you can get lost. Other than that, lovely place. Although I do sometimes wish there were less dead people, but it is a cemetery so what do can I expect? Besides the dead people are rather nice, quiet, no problems. In fact I'm pretty certain they aren't there any longer - just dust. Everything returns to the dust from which it was made, one way or another.
The other drawback of Greenwood Cemetery is the Fort Hamilton Entrance does border Borough Park, but barely. I mean I really don't see hardly anyone. Did see a bunch of Orthodox Jews (in full gear - men, with the tall hats, etc.) around 6:15PM or thereabouts. I got home by 6:30-6:45PM. So the walk there isn't far. I'm about six to ten blocks. I really don't go into Borough Park at all - outside of the entrance to Greenwood, which like I said isn't an issue. And the grocery store kind of borders it, but most of the people in the borough don't use that grocery store - it tends to serve the people in Kensington area more.
Overall it's a far safer and easier walk than Prospect Park. I also find the grounds to be more attractive and better maintained - an odd thing to say about a cemetery I know, but there it is.
When I go out - I wear a mask. I don't wear gloves because of THIS and I had numerous nurses on FB including former ATPOBTVS board member Midnight Jane, inform me that I was better off not wearing them. I also discovered rather quickly that wearing gloves did not keep me from touching my face. I was better off with my hands and purel. When I take walks I'm not touching anything - outside of my phone. I didn't touch the apartment doors - because they were open. And I don't take the elevator. I only take it when I want to go to the basement, which is only to get rid of recycling and to do laundry. But I ran across a woman walking through the cemetery with a hood, black leather clothes, and a mask. And sunglasses. I thought it was kind of overkill for the cemetery. Meanwhile there were people wandering about without any mask or anything at all.
Miscellaneous
I'm grateful that I joined crazy workplace, because I know it won't lay me off any time soon, and will give me a good wage and benefits. Also it is going out of its way at the moment to keep its employees safe. I'm grateful I live in a city and state with leadership that genuinely cares about its people and is trying to work with them and not against them. Even though working with and managing people is close to impossible - it's akin to herding cats actually. I'm grateful I have a safe and quiet apartment. That my family is even safer than I am. That I can order food in, without having to make painful trips to the grocery store to get it. And I'm grateful that to my knowledge, I haven't gotten this thing - or if I have, I got it in November.
There are things I wish I had or I had done differently. But, don't we all? I don't necessarily regret what I've chosen - I did my best with the knowledge available to me at the time. There's so much second-guessing in our culture. We should have done that or we should have done this.
It doesn't help. It doesn't change anything.
So, I'm learning to adapt and make the best of what I have. Will state meditation has helped. I'd probably be a slobbering mess without it - well that and a few other items. CBD really does help.
Oh..this made me laugh today... 200 Goats Escape and Roam the Streets of East San Jose
Hee Hee.
no subject
Ages ago (well before all of this) I bought a wheeled podium/lectern thingy to use in my classroom... except that I never assembled it. Anyway, that's a project I'm going to do soon, and then I can use the thing as a standing desk when I feel like it.
Eventually it'll get taken to my classroom. I assume, anyway.