3/20 Quarantine chat

[rubytue]

Anyone else feel like their cooking is regressing to college/early 20s days? I’m having ramen with eggs for breakfast. 

And i I keep waking up with bad dreams. It’s been awhile since that happened. Not covid dreams, but I guess they are stress/anxiety dreams. Last nights involved a buffet and I had so much food on my plate (two sandwiches, Mac & cheese, and something else). I said I wasn’t going to eat it all, then felt guilty of the waste. Food scarcity dreams? 

In my waking life, I feel like I’ve accepted reality and am getting to the point I can make the best of it. 

[dancingirl21]

DH has been having bad dreams every night and says he hasn’t slept much. I have a headache every morning. I think I’m stress-grinding my teeth.

The everyday is going fine, though, so I’m thankful for that.

DH is still going into work. They have an all company conference call this morning so I’ll be interested to hear what comes out of that. He works in construction as the lead superintendent on his job. They want to keep working, but if shelter in place happens, the majority of the guys on his site won’t get paid, which is majorly stressing him out. And his bonus and raise are due in 2 weeks and we are seriously counting on that bonus to pay our property taxes and some other recent debt so we’re kind of freaking out about that.

It’s a very stressful time for all. The unknown is the worst part.

[timorousbeastie]

Mar 20, 2020 7:49:00 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Anyone else feel like their cooking is regressing to college/early 20s days? I’m having ramen with eggs for breakfast. 

And i I keep waking up with bad dreams. It’s been awhile since that happened. Not covid dreams, but I guess they are stress/anxiety dreams. Last nights involved a buffet and I had so much food on my plate (two sandwiches, Mac & cheese, and something else). I said I wasn’t going to eat it all, then felt guilty of the waste. Food scarcity dreams? 

In my waking life, I feel like I’ve accepted reality and am getting to the point I can make the best of it. 

Just last night, I was making Mac and cheese, thinking about how it’s only a matter of time until I run out of milk and have to make it like I did in college (because we never had milk in the tiny dorm fridge) - no milk, just extra butter and water. 🤢

[icedcoffee]

My H walked in the morning and exclaimed "I might run some errands today!". WTF, dude. This wasn't a practice round, sit down. And one of those errands was dry cleaning. Dude...you won't need those clothes for weeks.

[moandjo]

Totally - I had to force myself to meal plan. That actually made me feel a bit better and more ‘normal.’ Corn dogs, noodles with butter, Mac n Cheese, all of it.

[rubytue]

Mar 20, 2020 8:00:26 GMT -5 timorousbeastie said:

Mar 20, 2020 7:49:00 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Anyone else feel like their cooking is regressing to college/early 20s days? I’m having ramen with eggs for breakfast. 

And i I keep waking up with bad dreams. It’s been awhile since that happened. Not covid dreams, but I guess they are stress/anxiety dreams. Last nights involved a buffet and I had so much food on my plate (two sandwiches, Mac & cheese, and something else). I said I wasn’t going to eat it all, then felt guilty of the waste. Food scarcity dreams? 

In my waking life, I feel like I’ve accepted reality and am getting to the point I can make the best of it. 

Just last night, I was making Mac and cheese, thinking about how it’s only a matter of time until I run out of milk and have to make it like I did in college (because we never had milk in the tiny dorm fridge) - no milk, just extra butter and water. 🤢

I may have done that yesterday. I’m not a milk drinker, so I don’t have any.

[icedcoffee]

The republican senators who sold their stock have pissed off my republican loving extended family. This should be interesting. LOL

[hamster]

I may have broken down in tears last night because I just cant with the world. And now I have a stress headache upon waking up this morning.

He's employer is being f'ing idiots about the whole thing. One guy came in with a hacking cough and they cant send him home because "we're not doctors and the employee should just call in." But he wont, because he'd be "bored at home." This person has 350 sick hours for the record.

[bowies]

My stress levels would be so much better if work didn’t suck so bad right now. I have nothing to do and the new project I’m transferring to can’t get their shit together. It’s going to be over before any of us get to work it.

[circa1978]

Mar 20, 2020 8:03:51 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

My H walked in the morning and exclaimed "I might run some errands today!". WTF, dude. This wasn't a practice round, sit down. And one of those errands was dry cleaning. Dude...you won't need those clothes for weeks.

Bless his heart. I'm actually concerned about what's going to happen when we DO have to pull ourselves together to leave the house some day. @ We can't find our shoes and coats on a good day, LOL. 

I also realized it was really going to suck to have to put on real clothes after potentially months of shelf stable pasta and leggings, so I put on real (but still comfy, I'm not stupid) pants today. 

[Velar Fricative]

I need to figure out how to do my own eyebrows. They were already looking like the Amazon jungle before isolation so I regret not going anytime recently to get them trimmed and shaped.

I was feeling okay about everything despite NYC cases increasing dramatically pretty much every hour, but then I was notified last night by one of my staff that she is feeling symptoms that her doctor says are consistent with COVID-19 and she has to assume she has it. I haven't seen her since 3/9 (I already work in a different building than all but one of my staff) but other staff are in closer proximity to her most days, ugh. I knew it was a matter of when, not if, especially when my staff all work in a public setting, but ugh.

[carmenere]

I'm on a professional development webinar this morning and they're making us use webcams. I was simultaneously excited to get dressed up and cute to "see" colleagues, and annoyed that I have to get out of my athleisure and put on real clothes.

One of the other participants is the hiring manager for a job I'm about to apply for and she'll be staring at my RBF for the next three hours - not a good first impression 

[seeyalater52]

Work is such an absolute mess. Wading through all of these relief bills is a chore.

Also we are STILL not finished with 2018 taxes bc of the fuckery with my wife’s ex business partner and it looks like we won’t get the tax check as a result. I’m so fucking pissed all over again. I dont even agree with the checks but they’re on offer and we have bills to pay and damn we could really use the money. That business shitshow is the gift that keeps on giving.

[icedcoffee]

Mar 20, 2020 8:24:24 GMT -5 circa1978 said:

Mar 20, 2020 8:03:51 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

My H walked in the morning and exclaimed "I might run some errands today!". WTF, dude. This wasn't a practice round, sit down. And one of those errands was dry cleaning. Dude...you won't need those clothes for weeks.

Bless his heart. I'm actually concerned about what's going to happen when we DO have to pull ourselves together to leave the house some day. @ We can't find our shoes and coats on a good day, LOL. 

I also realized it was really going to suck to have to put on real clothes after potentially months of shelf stable pasta and leggings, so I put on real (but still comfy, I'm not stupid) pants today. 

We packed our bags the night before we found out we weren't going anywhere so our bags are all still packed and ready to go except by the time we need them things like a warm sweater and hat will not be necessary.  What a time to be alive!

I put my "fat" pants into the donation pile a few days before this happened, but yesterday I pulled them out and muttered "yeah--I might actually still need those"  LOL

[eponinepontmercy]

I thought I was doing okay, but I haven't been sleeping and I've had a tension headache on and off.




We did adopt the dog I posted about (well, technically fostering until she's over her kennel cough), and she is adorable. Having to get outside to walk her and having a dog to pet and snuggle is going to help.

[mbcdefg]

I’d feel better about my meal plan if I had more milk, butter, and eggs. I’m usually pretty good at cobbling together meals from whatever is around the house but since I’m running low on those three items it’s a lot more difficult. I’m not going grocery shopping until I run of out those (plus coffee).

I Venmoed a little money to our pet sitter because her latest email said she had to lay off a few staff members. It wasn’t much but it made me feel a bit better to help out a tiny bit - I had a rough night last night.

[sillygoosegirl]

OMG, yes on the cooking.

First of all, normally we buy our work lunches out, and sometimes go out to dinner. So we don't get those breaks from cooking anymore.

Plus we're working our asses off, on account of being in the healthcare sector. (Healthcare software, so thankfully not affected by the lack of PPE, and able to isolate at home, but still very very busy right now.) Under any other circumstances, we'd be living on takeout right now, but I'm too scared to do that.

[tessalb]

H closed a deal this morning, so he’s feeling a bit relieved to not have a Q1 goose egg on the board with the possibility of layoffs.

I had a panic attack on Wednesday. I’ve been coming down with something - tight chest, dry cough, no fever - and being confined to the house and yard gives me a sense of dread. I’m thinking of calling my PCP and asking for a prescription for anxiety. If this tightness and cough don’t go away by Monday, I definitely will call.

H’s grandmother is alone and a recent widow. I feel so bad for her being all alone. I wish someone in the family would take her in for the next few weeks, but almost everyone has someone who has to leave the house for work in their house. We tried to FaceTime this morning, but she didn’t pick up.

[RoxMonster]

I know this is so trivial right now, but this morning I broke down about my birthday on Sunday. My parents were supposed to come visit for the weekend, we were going to go out with friends Sunday night. Obviously, none of this is happening now. I'm mostly sad about not seeing my parents - I have not seen them since Christmas, and who knows when we can see each other in person again. FaceTime is fine, but not the same. I know my mom is really upset as well. UGH. This is all sucks, and like I said, I know in the midst of people being seriously ill, losing jobs, etc., this is really not a big deal, but I am just having a small pity party this morning. Then I'm going to get back to it.

[rubytue]

My work BFF’s ex wife is down with it. And apparently not doing well. Not hospitalized, but from what he is hearing, maybe pretty close. And his @@ daughter is with the ex. So he’s a bit wound up today. Poor guy.

[heliocentric]

We had a 2 hour video chat with DH's sisters last night and it was a really fun distraction. We have another set up for Saturday night.

My parents are staying inside, thankfully, but my sister is bringing them food and she's still working (nursing home) and going to the stores. My mom told her the next time she comes she'll have to leave the food in the garage & she was a little mad. She keeps saying she's healthy and has nothing to worry about. Meanwhile, my parents are in the 70s and my mom has a transplanted kidney. They live in PA so hopefully the strict lock down there will help.

My Uncle is a bachelor and has mental health issues. He doesn't keep any extra food in the house despite my mom telling him for weeks to pick up some things. He can only cook basic things and I'm worried he won't find those at the store so he'll come to my parent's house for help. Like my sister, he's also been out and about and it's unlikely he's taking the right precautions.

We have plenty of food on hand for now, but I feel a pang of anxiety each time I eat something. We placed a grocery order on Weds. (for pick up on Monday) and I have no idea what we'll actually get.

[Vespasia]

While appreciate the people who are tagging their @ content, it really is better left out of this thread. I know everyone is under a lot of stress and freaked out but that doesn't change the reason we have had that rule. You can easily start a daily/weekly @ chat thread.

[omglol]

Our household is still sick. Breathing is the worst part of this. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I have asthma and an well acquainted with respiratory issues and this just feels *different*.

Other than that, we are doing ok. Friends have done drops of groceries for us, which is amazing. I ordered bath goodies from Lush yesterday because even though I really shouldn’t be spending money, baths/showers are the only thing giving me relief right now and I just want to feel lovely. So I gave myself an allowance and got a few indulgences.

I think my biggest personal anxiety comes from finances. H’s job is not secure at all (startup in tech). I thought my job was but I’m in finance (investments) and my job is absolutely not essential. I’ve got departmental seniority and expertise, but I don’t know how far that’s going to take me. But whatever. It is what it is. We will cross that bridge when we need to. I can’t waste valuable mental space worrying about that right now.

My biggest world anxiety is all the unknown. I feel like we are just at the beginning of this and most people are not understanding what an enormous impact this is going to have in literally every single way. We are not going to return to normal as we know it. But I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.

[wambam]

Mar 20, 2020 8:25:03 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I need to figure out how to do my own eyebrows. They were already looking like the Amazon jungle before isolation so I regret not going anytime recently to get them trimmed and shaped.

I was feeling okay about everything despite NYC cases increasing dramatically pretty much every hour, but then I was notified last night by one of my staff that she is feeling symptoms that her doctor says are consistent with COVID-19 and she has to assume she has it. I haven't seen her since 3/9 (I already work in a different building than all but one of my staff) but other staff are in closer proximity to her most days, ugh. I knew it was a matter of when, not if, especially when my staff all work in a public setting, but ugh.

I am also trying to figure out what I should do with my eyebrows (and upper lip for that matter). When I get waxed it hurts for like 4 seconds and then it’s over. But tweezing hurts over and over again! And I can’t tweeze my lip. I don’t trust myself with DIY wax. Maybe I’ll make my H watch a YouTube video? He’s very precise lol.

[lightbulbsun]

Probably the best thing about quarantine is not having to wear a bra. I basically wear a sports bra when I work out and nothing the rest of the time. I'm going to be so sad when I have to wear one again.

I'm getting weirdly stressed out watching shows where there are large groups of people congregated. I know they were filmed before all of this, but it's still making me feel things.

I was also pretty tired and weak feeling during my workout today. I know that it happens and is probably nothing. I took my temp and it's normal, and I generally feel normal, just a little tired.

[mbcdefg]

A chuckle:

Bob Saget: Oh. My. God. I spend my day cleaning and vacuuming and sanitizing everything in the house. I have become Danny Tanner.

[rondonalddo]

I'm worried about our staff. With the Met's projection that they won't reopen until June or July, that seems like the benchmark for museums now. I'm working on a bunch of stuff that I feel like isn't going to matter in a month or two.

And I'm really worried about my mom. She's a 63-year old nurse and now there's a confirmed case in our county (we live in the same county). The NP in her office just ordered masks from Amazon that won't arrive for 2 weeks. 

[Velar Fricative]

Mar 20, 2020 9:03:04 GMT -5 wambam said:

Mar 20, 2020 8:25:03 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I need to figure out how to do my own eyebrows. They were already looking like the Amazon jungle before isolation so I regret not going anytime recently to get them trimmed and shaped.

I was feeling okay about everything despite NYC cases increasing dramatically pretty much every hour, but then I was notified last night by one of my staff that she is feeling symptoms that her doctor says are consistent with COVID-19 and she has to assume she has it. I haven't seen her since 3/9 (I already work in a different building than all but one of my staff) but other staff are in closer proximity to her most days, ugh. I knew it was a matter of when, not if, especially when my staff all work in a public setting, but ugh.

I am also trying to figure out what I should do with my eyebrows (and upper lip for that matter). When I get waxed it hurts for like 4 seconds and then it’s over. But tweezing hurts over and over again! And I can’t tweeze my lip. I don’t trust myself with DIY wax. Maybe I’ll make my H watch a YouTube video? He’s very precise lol.

I would rather set my eyebrows on fire than have my DH touch them, so you are a brave person lol. I use Nair for my upper lip but I know I can't do that with my eyebrows. Off to YouTube.

[fortnightlily]

Anyone have any good suggestions of online games to play with friends? My friend group aren't much of a gamer bunch. We don't have steam, twitch, etc. So think more board/party/etc. games than like RPGs.

[basilosaurus]

I'm stuck where I am since Thailand will require letters of health and $100k proof of insurance as of midnight tomorrow. My flight leaves tomorrow before the restriction, but there's an overnight layover putting my trip under the "letters required" policy. You can only get the letter at a hospital which is the LAST place my healthy ass wants to go. I need Leslie Nielson's body condom.

I don't mind the quarantine as I'm super introverted, but I do need to eat. I wouldn't have left, but it was leave or risk deportation/jail. Super shitty either/or decision I had to make. This was before actual bans and closures. Thailand *still* hasn't addressed extending visas to reduce travel or to address people who cannot return home. And they're still requiring multi hour waits in crowded rooms for people who are eligible for 15-30 day extensions (I wasn't, not that 15 days would have helped much).

Unfortunately, I need to return to Thailand by mid-April as my lease will be up, and I have about #60 of belongings to, at minimum, pack up and store. Many expats are in that position as they leave this time of year due to shit air, but they maintain their condo or home lease. So, more travel that I don't want to do right now. I'd extend the lease by phone, but I have to be present and pay in cash.

Oh, and I need more pages in my passport soonish, which they don't do anymore, so you need a whole new passport and fucking consulates are closed.

Yeah, my normally calm ass is stressed. And hungry. I had to resort to McD delivery tonight

One day at a time. Actually, one hour at a time. Changes are happening fast as I'm sure you all can relate to. Kids were even sent home from school early so their schools could close.

/vent